Burst of joy mango salad

I’ve never really been into mangoes. I don’t know why. I guess they just weren’t really readily available when I was growing up. But recently, local grocery stores got overloaded with a large supply of honey mangoes and put them on sale. And I’ve never been one to turn down a sale. So I decided to give them a try. And I had no idea what I was missing.

Dubbed the “food of the gods” mangoes are sweet, juicy and utterly delicious. A staple of southeast asian cuisine they can be used in quesadillas, salsa, salads, smoothies and desserts. The possibilities are endless. So what’s their magical purpose? No surprise here: they bring joy.

Much of mango lore revolves around the idea that the fruit can sweeten childhood memories. That makes them great for when you’re digging up the past with a therapist or other professional trying to work out deep seated problems. Mangoes will help you not get stuck in the bad, and help you focus on the good, they are ruled by Venus the lesser benefic after all.

For this recipe, I decided to pair mangoes with mint and toasted almonds. Served on a base of shredded iceberg lettuce, you could switch up the greens to achieve a different flavor profile. Like three cups of green leaf lettuce instead of the iceberg would probably go well with the sweetness of the mangoes. But it’s up to you. As always, let your intuition guide you towards what you need.

I also found that cutting and selecting mangoes can be a little bit tricky if you’re not used to working with them. To that end, Mango.org has put together a website full of resources on how to select, cut and prepare mangoes. Give it a read.